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EAT RIGHT

Letter from Maggie

Do you usually take a holiday from your health during the Christmas and holiday season? The National Institute of Health reports that the average American gains about a pound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, and keeps accumulating that weight each year. Since over 50% of Americans are already overweight, that holiday weight gain is a major factor in the development of obesity. That extra pound is usually the result of consuming an extra 3000-4000 calories or by a combination of less exercise and extra eating. For example, eating an extra 100 calories a day for a month means eating an extra 3000 calories.

Above all, make conscious food choices and avoid mindless eating. If you find yourself at a holiday buffet, try to survey all of your choices before taking a plate and proceeding to help yourself. A good guideline is to pick the 3 items that you think you would enjoy most rather than taking a small serving of 10 different items. Eating a greater variety of flavors can lead to an increase in your appetite with each new taste. Make sure that you include vegetables or salads on at least half of your buffet plate and choose vegetable appetizers if they’re available. Bringing a light appetizer is also good insurance when you’re going to a party. That way you can be sure to have at least one good choice.

Keep exercising and using your pedometer to keep on track with your calorie expenditure and your fitness level. I have found that I can manage to log 2000 to 3000 steps in my own kitchen while cooking for a dinner party! Stepping up your exercise can also be easier if you have time off in the week between Christmas and January 1^st.

Holiday meals are about more than just feeding yourself. There are many levels of enjoying meals and breaking bread with family and friends at Christmas. Preparing favorite dishes and meals can be a part of the tradition in families, so try having a small portion of a favorite dish. It may be more satisfying than having a larger amount of a “diet” knockoff of a favorite recipe. And you may be able to use a little less butter when preparing those favorites without any appreciable change in taste!

By making a few simple changes you may be able to keep your weight stable and avoid compromising your blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar. Because losing weight is so difficult, simple prevention of weight gain may actually be easier to accomplish. And it will be so much easier on New Year’s Day to not have to consider a “diet” to recover.

Merry Christmas!

Maggie Davis

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